Apparatus for abrading graphite or similar material



L. www" APPARTUS FOR BRADING GRAPHITE 0R SIMILAR MATERIAL Filed Ju1y 11 1924 2 Shams-'Sheet 2 gay@ IN VEN TOR.

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" yATTORNEY@ 'all Patented ct. 2, 71928.

STATES LEWIS S. WATRES, OF SCRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TQ NATIONAL GRAPHITE LUBRICATION COMPANY, F WILMINGTON, DELAWARE, A CORPORATION 0F DELA- WARE.

ATIPARATUS FOR ABRADING GRAPHITE 0R SIMILAR MATERIAL.

Application led. July l1,

My invention relates to apparatus for effectively abra-ding solid material such, for

example, as graphite, and introducing the same in regulated amounts into regions where it may perform a de-sired function.

lfn my prior Patent, No. 1,189,643, of July 4, 1916, vlt have described and claimed one form of apparatus for abrading graphite in the form of sticks, such apparatus being shown in conjunction with a locomotive boiler and arranged so as to introduce the graphite in finely divided form into the conduit supplying saturated steam to the superheater. My invention is an improvement over that described in said patent and while particularly adapted for use in connection with the saturated steam conduit of a locomotive, may be used for other purposes, and particularly for the lubrication of various moving parts either in a railway motor or other oscillating support.

'The accompanying drawings illustrate a number of forms of `my improved device. Fig. 1 is a perspective view with parts broken away of al locomotive boiler with a device of my invention installed; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of an embodiment at present preferred by me, the cover-plate having been removed; Fig. 3 is a view mainly in vertical Isection of the construction shown in Fig. 2; Figs. 4 and 5 are similar views of a modification; Fig. 6 is an elevational view of a still further modification; and Fig. 7 is a view along line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

Referring to said drawings, 1() denotes a chamber casing having a stem 11 provided with a bore 11a therethrough, and having a valve 12,v to which is thre-aded a pipe 13 which may extend, when the device is mounted for use, through a locomotiveboiler shell 14, and into the saturated steam conduit 15 shortly before the latter enters the manifold or header 16 for the superheater tubes 17.

. A threaded stud 18 is preferably provided, by means of which casing 10 may be braced to the boiler shell 14. Mounted in casing 10 is an oscillating member of the pendulum type, the bob thereof being constituted by a generally horizontal portion 19, preferably of arcuate shape. Depending arms 20 and 21 are attached to both sides of said port-ion 19, and to the opposite ends of arms 20 and 21 are attached trunnions 22 and 23. Trunnion 22 is provided with a bearing 22a, while isa/1. serial no. 725,377.

trunnion 23 has a bearing 23a aligned with bearing 22a and secured to casing lt). Arms 20 and 21 being made preferably of .springy material allows trunnions 22 and 23 to be sprung into place. Casing 10 has a cover24 which is clamped in place by means of bolts through holes in ears 25 provided around the casing 10. Member 19 carries in its middle portion an abrasive surface 26 which is preferably formed by embedding therein crystals of silicon carbid i For the purpose of feeding solid material, lsuch as graphite sticks onto the abrasive surface 41, 1 have provided a magazine 27 which is held in place by means of a collar portion 28 resting upon a shoulder 29 in the body of the chamber casing. A cap 30 engages in threaded relationship 31 of casing 10, and is provided withan internal flange 32 which bears down upon the top of the collar portion 28 and, holds it firmly against shoulder 29 whereby the tube 27 is' held rigidly in place. I preferably provide a hole 27a in tube 27 to insure equalization of pressure within the magazine. As the material to be abraded l prefer to use sticks 33 of compacted, flocculated graphite as made in accordance with the patent 1.o George Kirkegaard, No. 1,185,682, of June 6, 1916.

In use my improved device may be mounted on a locomotive boiler, as shown iu Fig. 1,V being placed with the oscillator at rightangles to the longitudinal axis of the boiler. Before starting a run a number of the graphite sticks are placed in the magazine 27, valve 12 being of course shut off. Due` to the lateral vibration or nozing7 of the locomotive, the oscillator will be kept in constant motion and will continue to abr-ade particles of the graphite sticks by the action of abrasive surface 26. Valve 12 being open, the particles produced by the abrasion of the graphite will find their way through bore 11 into the stream of saturated steam on its way to the superheater, the presence of the graphite' particles serving the dual purpose of effectively stopping up the incipient leaks in the couplings or joints of the superheater and lubricating the valves and pistons of the locomotive, all as more fully described in my aforementioned Patent, No. 1,189,643.

. Tt will be noted that while there is no direct circulation of steam through the casing 10,

that there is` a continual surging of the steam due to the action of cylinders. In addition a causes, the particles of the graphite are effectively carried out of casing 10. y

In Figs. 4 to 6, inclusive, I have shown other forms of oscillating means., In Fig. 4 the oscillato'ri:consists of a comparatively heavy plate 40,?the upper surface of-which bears the abrasiveinaterial 41,'the underside being smooth and engaging rollers42, having as'bearmgs studs 43, 45 projecting from the casing lOu. .The ends of the plate 40inay`be y provided with springs 44 which strike against opposite sides ofthe casingvlO and'cause plate 40't'o rebound'therefrom.V Due to the sidewise vibration of the locomotive, plate 4l will oscillate back and forth and will abrade the graphite stick fed .thereontd In F ig. 6 a

ball Y50 travels on a'fsupport 5l, and strikes A againstthe depending legs or stops 52, 52 of plate 53 havingpan abradin'g'surface 54, and

thus serves'to move said plate baclrand forth.

The amountof graphite consumed will depend' somewhat upon the weight of the material above thesurface undergoing abrasion,

' and the rate ofconsumption can therefore be to somev extentl controlled. desired, a

spring pressed follower may be employed in themagazine chamber. A Y

It Willbe seen'from the foregoing that I have provided a 'simple Atliongh exceedingly effective device for abrading and feeding rgraphite into vthe saturated steam-'conduit of a locomotive or in 'any' region thereof in `which it might "be Ydesirable tovadmit such granular material. Furthermore, my device requires no external power'me'ans for its operation. It will also be apparent that various changes may be made in the detailed const-ruction of my device, for which reason I do not intend to limit my invention to such constructional details. -'-I `or example', the oscil` lator member maybe-used'to operate a separate abrading means in various ways which will occur to-the'slr'illed mechanic.

I'claim: f 1;-Infcombination a vibrating support, a chamber mounted thereon. a magazine tube yextending into 'said chamber, an'outlet from said'chamber, an oscillator Within said chamber operated by the vibration of said chami ber, and abrasive materialwithin said chainber carried by said oscillator.`

2. In'combmation ajvehicle. a' chamber mounted thereon, a magazine tube extending into said chamber, an outlet from said magazine tube, an oscillator within said chamber -oscillated by vibration of said chamber, and

`to permit the feeding of material tobe abraded onto saidnorasivc surface.

4. An abrading apparatus adapted to be mounted upon a railway motor and comprising in ,combination a` chamber, a pendulum within said clian'ibcr,an abrasive surface carried by said pendulum, a magazine tube cxtending-into said chamber and positioned so as to permit the feeding of material to bc abra-ded onto said surface.

5. An abrading apparatus adapted to be mounted upon a railway motor and comprising in'combination a chamber,a pendulum within saidchamber and having an approxi-l inatelyhorizontal portion, an abrasive surface of arcuate sha pe carried by said horizontal portion, a magazine tube extending into said chamber and positioned so as to permit the feeding of ,material to be abraded onto said surface.

6. An abrading apparatus adapted to be mounted upona railway motor and comprising in combination a chamber, a pendulum within said chamber, said pendulum comprising two trunnioncd depending members carrying an element extending in a substantialli,r horizontal direction when said pendulum is in its loiveimost,position, the upper surface of said horizontally c-tcnding element bring abrasive, and a magazine tube extending into said chamber and between said depending; members. Y l

7. In combination, a vehicle, a chamber mounted thereon, an oscillator operated by vtransverse motion of .said vehicle. and abrasive matc-rial in said chamber-so associated with said oscillator that motion of said oscillator is transmitted to said abrasive material.

8. In combination, a Vehicle. a chamber mounted thereon` an oscillator in said chamber adapted to be moved rela tive to the vehicle at an angle to the normal for -ard motion of said vehicle by the vibrating motion of said vehicle and abrasive material carried by said oscillator.

LEIVIS S. IVATRES. 

